In this special guest episode of Leadership & Motivation Unleashed, we sit down with former college football star and sales leader turned entrepreneur, Adam Gunn. From overcoming a career-ending injury to building a career at Stryker and launching a company in the fast-evolving NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) space, Adam’s story is one of grit, purpose, and people-centered leadership.

Adam shares how athletes bring unique and transferable strengths to the business world, and how leaders can tap into these talents to build stronger, more diverse teams. Whether you're a hiring manager, former athlete, or just curious about how leadership shows up across industries, this episode is packed with insight.

▶️ From the Football Field to the Boardroom: Hiring Diverse Talent from Untapped Pipelines with Adam Gunn:

• [03:26] Meet Adam Gunn: former athlete, sales leader, and NIL entrepreneur
• [06:51] What is NIL and how is it changing college athletics?
• [11:16] Transferable skills from sales to entrepreneurship
• [13:02] The complexity of NIL
• [15:21] Why athletes make exceptional team members
• [23:33] The transfer portal and its implications for athlete development
• [27:58] Hiring diverse talent from untapped pipelines
• [30:10] Inside Stryker’s values and leadership culture
• [33:53] How Adam broke into medical sales as a student-athlete
• [36:24] Lightning Round: Best leader, proudest achievement, biggest lesson

Resources:

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Notable Quotes from From the Football Field to the Boardroom: Hiring Diverse Talent from Untapped Pipelines with Adam Gunn:

“If it's solely on one individual or a group of people that all think, look, and feel the same way, you're going to be very single-sided and limited in terms of your ideas, your innovation, and all the thoughts, decisions, and solutions that are driven from your company.” - Adam Gunn

“ You can't be average as an athlete. If you're average, you're going to sit the bench. You have to be extraordinary, and that translates perfectly into the work world, where they push themselves to learn more, to be better, and to take in everything they possibly can to be the best version of themselves.” - Adam Gunn

Connect with Adam Gunn:

📱 Follow Adam Gunn on LinkedIn.

💻 Check out Adam Gunn’s website.

📧 Send Adam Gunn an email.

Connect with Your Hosts:

📱 Follow Patrick Law on LinkedIn.

📱 Follow Rachel Book on LinkedIn.

🎥 Follow Leadership & Motivation Unleashed on YouTube.

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Produced by Ideablossoms